The present invention relates to an insulated container particularly adapted to contain extremely hot water to make coffee, noodles, soup, or the like.
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a heat insulated container having a laminated body on the outer surface of the body portion of the container disclosed in the published Japanese Patent Publication No. 07-40961 has been known as an insulated container of this type.
The laminated body B of this container is formed by bonding two types of base materials 21 and 22 which differ in beat shrinkage percentage at bonded portions 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 spaced apart from each other. The laminated body B is fixed to or attached to an outer surface of the trunk portion of the thin-walled container 20 with the base material having a higher heat shrinkage percentage placed inward. Thus, the insulated container is formed. When hot water or the like is poured into the container 20, heat is conducted to the laminated body B. At the result, the base material having a higher shrinkage percentage thereby shrinks, and the base material having a lower shrinkage percentage is raised from the base material having a higher shrinkage percentage, thus forming a tunnel-like structure Bxe2x80x2. Since space in the tunnel-like structure serves as heat insulating layer, the person can hold the container by grasping this tunnel-like structure with the hand.
However, since the appearance of the tunnel-like structure is monotonous and is lack of aesthetic elements, it has been desired to improve the container for variety.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an insulated container which is aesthetically attractive and appealing to enjoy a variety of changes and which can be manufactured at a low cost.
In order to achieve the above object, following structure is adopted to a container. A heat insulated container of the present invention comprises a thin-walled container and a laminated body. The laminated body is formed by bonding base materials having different heat shrinkage percentages at a plurality of bonded portions. At least one of the bonded portions has a substantially I-shaped cut line. The laminated body is so attached to the outer surface of the thin-walled container that the base material having a higher heat shrinkage percentage is placed inward so as to thermally shrink the inward-placed base material.
When hot water or the like is poured into the insulated container of the present invention, heat is conducted to the laminated body through the outer surface of the thin-walled container, and thereby a tunnel-like structure is formed as in the same manner as those of the conventional insulated container. However, there is a big difference between the container of the present invention and conventional containers. In the present invention, the tunnel-like structure is formed while the laminated body is opened by the substantially I-shaped cut line as if French doors are opened, and the surface of the thin-walled container can be seen from an opening of the laminated body.
Unlike conventional heat insulated containers, changes of the outward appearance of the laminated body can be appreciated and the shape of the laminated body is full of variety. Thus, the container of the present invention is further aesthetically improved. In addition, the opened tunnel-like structure can be grasped with the hand in the same manner as the conventional containers, so that heat insulating property of the container is not impaired.